An Inverness man who used a telescopic baton to attack a “long-time family friend” in her own home has been jailed.
The woman had welcomed Jack Mackenzie, 23, into her house with a hug – but was left with a four-centimetre cut to the head after being attacked with the weapon.
Mackenzie also targeted his victim’s teenage son with a punch, after which the boy hit his head on a television set and was knocked unconscious.
Mackenzie appeared for sentencing at Inverness Sheriff Court having previously admitted two charges of assault to severe injury in relation to the incident at an address in Caledonian Road, Inverness, on May 12 of last year.
The court heard that, on that date, Mackenzie went to the property occupied by his two friends and was welcomed with a hug by the woman.
Jack Mackenzie ‘told (victim) not to tell anyone’
Fiscal depute Susan Love said: “There was a knock at her door and she welcomed him in. He was a long-time family friend and she hugged him.
“She went into the living room but heard a bang. She went out and he produced a baton and hit her with it.
“He then punched her son once and he hit his head on the television set.”
The court heard that the teenager was rendered unconscious.
Ms Love said that Mackenzie was “kicked between the legs but he pushed her to the floor and hit her twice with the baton. He told her not to tell anyone but she phoned the police.”
Sheriff Aitken was told that the woman suffered a 4cm cut to her head which had to be stapled. The boy had no serious injury.
The hearing was the third time Mackenzie had appeared via video link for sentencing in the case, as social workers had failed to prepare a background report on him in December and January.
Sheriff Aitken perused the now-available document before hearing from defence solicitor John MacColl, who had criticised the social work department for their failure at earlier hearings.
Mr MacColl said the report made it clear that his client “is someone who can change his life and he needs to do something about this.
“He is currently subject to a community payback order with 200 hours of unpaid work but he was unable to start it because of this offence.
Inverness baton attacker ‘knew what he was doing’
“His recollection of events is not accurate as he had taken a degree of alcohol beforehand but he was not inebriated and knew what he was doing.”
Sheriff Aitken said there was no alternative to custody because it was the third time that Mackenzie had “committed an offence of aggravated violence.”
“This offence was committed while you were on bail for the previous one,” the Sheriff noted.
He jailed Mackenzie, of Hawthorn Drive, Inverness for 20 months, backdated to May 16 of last year.
The CPO was left in force so Mackenzie will have to complete it on his release.
